Parenting Blog

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is learning how to effectively discipline your child. On one hand, you never want to see your child upset or unhappy. On the other, you know that it’s up to you to help teach your child how to be a responsible and valuable adult. Fortunately, there are a few guidelines that you can use to help make sure you discipline your child effectively. These rules provide a bit of space for parents of all kinds, but they can by and large be followed by anyone with a child.

Have a Reason

There’s nothing more frustrating than being told to do something without being given a reason. Children understand from a very young age whether something is fair or unfair, and look to their parents to model fair behavior. As a parent, you need to have a reason for everything you do. Must you explain every choice you make to your child? Of course not! But you do need to have some kind of internal logic towards you discipline. If you don’t, your child will be unable to learn when he or she is behaving appropriately.

Discipline from Care, not Anger

It’s also important to remember that you discipline your child because you care, not because you are angry. Stop and think about the discipline choices you are making. Are you doing it to help your child learn a lesson, or are you doing it because you are angry at the child? If it’s the latter, you might want to stop and think about what your anger is teaching your child. Make sure that any choices you make are made because they are valuable for your child’s well-being. If you can do so, you’ll help him or her learn from what’s be done.

The precise methods of how you discipline your child will largely be impacted by your culture and your family. The reasons why you discipline, though, should be universal. Always make sure that there’s a valid reason behind why you are disciplining a child and always ensure that you’re not choosing discipline because of your own anger. If you can keep your motivation in the right place, you’ll help your child to understand that the choices you make are made for their benefit. It won’t always be easy, but it will help your relationship with your child.